Does the Purrfect Fence protect against coyotes, bobcats, birds of prey, etc.?Updated 2 months ago
Purrfect Fence has been providing enclosures that keep cats safe outside for more than 20 years. We estimate that we have more than 60,000 cats inside our enclosures across the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. In this time we have never once been made aware of a situation that resulted in a cat being harmed by a predator while inside our enclosures. These amazing results suggest that our fencing system serves as both a visual and physical deterrent. The flexible mesh material is very difficult, if not impossible to climb for any would-be ground predator. Some of the animal experts we have consulted with tell us that because the fence materials and configuration are so unlike anything an animal would have encountered before they will tend to stay away.
COYOTES
Although given enough time and effort a coyote could break through the upper poly material of our Freestanding System, it has never been reported to us that this has happened to one of our customers. We have also not had reports of coyotes getting into areas protected by our Existing Fence Conversion Systems, but truly that is more up to the existing fence. The important aspect of our Conversion Systems is that the cats are not leaving the fenced-in area where they might accidentally encounter a coyote.
Coyotes are opportunist predators. If a coyote approached an area secured with our Freestanding System, any cat inside would be aware and able to run inside or hide. Once that happens, the coyote has no reason to attempt a time-consuming break-in. The real key is that when properly installed a coyote cannot get over the fence system and cannot get through or under it without putting forth significant time and effort. With no reason in sight to enter, the coyote moves on.
BOBCATS
Because bobcats are similar in size and anatomy to domesticated cats, they are capable of climbing the fence and dropping into the enclosure. Once inside, they would become trapped by the spring-loaded arms, just like a domesticated cat. That being said, in our 20+ year history, there has never been a report of a customer's cat coming into harm by a bobcat entering an enclosure. But we have had wildlife sanctuaries use the fence to contain bobcats with some upgraded options.
This means that if bobcats are a large problem in your area, it is possible to install a second set of spring-loaded arms facing outward (so you would end up with a sort of "Y" shape top to the fence) to prevent bobcats from entering the fenced area. For this solution, it is also recommended that the fence line is far enough away from potential escape aids OUTSIDE of the fence line as well (such as trees that a bobcat could climb up to then jump down on top of the fence, for example).
Understanding your project, including the size of the area to be enclosed, where you are located, and what you have experienced about the level of the bobcat threat, will help determine what options would be a good fit for your project. Please let us know more about the project and issues you are encountering for a more personalized solution.
BIRDS OF PREY
Our fencing systems were designed 20+ years ago to be "open air" systems so as not to be too restrictive but also to allow our customers to create large, secure spaces for their cats to spend time outdoors. Over the years, we have sold thousands of enclosures across the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, and Europe (we even have a few enclosures in Africa and Australia), and have yet to be made aware of a situation where a cat was harmed or taken by a bird of prey - although logically, it is certainly a real possibility and a common concern of our customers.
Some of the animal experts we have consulted with over the years have told us that because the fence materials and configuration are so unlike anything a wild animal would have encountered before they will tend to stay away in general. They have also told us that large birds will not enter or land in an area where they do not believe they can take off again. The overhanging nature of our fence extension arm gives birds concern that they may not be able to get back out.
There are also other ways to deter birds of prey such as adding reflective tape to the fence. Another option is to create a sort of gridded "roof" using fishing line. This is done by running fishing line between the arm tips and edge of the fencing on opposite sides of the enclosure. The strands of fishing line should be spaced 36"-42" apart as they need to form a grid smaller than the bird's wing span.
The goal with the fishing line is to make a visible grid across the open top span of your Purrfect Fence since predator birds will not fly into something that has openings smaller than their wingspan. Predator birds will be able to see the fishing line grid even though it is hard for people to see. Another advantage of the fishing line is that it is stretchy which means it will stretch if a cat activates an arm.
This is not a technique we devised but has been used by chicken farmers for many years. It has proven to be an effective method for chicken farmers and not one customer we recommended this technique to ever let us know of a failure.
In addition to fencing, we also offer fully enclosed solutions such as the Purrfect Penthouse, and catios through our sister company, Habitat Haven. These enclosures can be built rather large! However, there are limitations to our materials, and often large, completely enclosed structures/catios can be cost-prohibitive and difficult to assemble and/or install. There is a point where it would actually be more cost-effective to erect an actual "building" comparatively.
Though we did not necessarily design our system to handle all of the different types of threats, we are very proud of our track record of keeping cats safe regardless of the situation!
There are also a few upgrade options we can offer with the Freestanding Fence system to help increase the overall durability of the fence.